The Suite Adult Life

July (11.1)

Cody broke down and bought a pack of loose tobacco and papers. He almost stopped at a dispensary but he wanted to feel. Weed made him weightless and he wanted to be raw. He'd ridden in the rain, something he hated to do but he wanted to be reckless. He was realizing that he had spent too much time in the states. He hadn't left the country in months. Every day he asked his editor to send him to the Gaza Strip; and, every day his editor told him he had a death wish. The fight with Bailey reminded him, starkly, of why he wouldn't let himself be domesticated.

He had chain-smoked all night as he nursed a bottle of spiced rum when he had run out of cokes to chase it with. That was how his brother and Jackson found him the next morning. Outside of some brunch place with a massive hangover, a pair of sunglasses hiding his bloodshot eyes and bags, sucking on a hand rolled cigarette. He flicked it into the street hoping they didn't see it.

Jackson' sharp eyes didn't miss a thing. "Uh-uh. No." Was all he said before he wheeled the double stroller into the restaurant leaving Zack to clean up The Mess.

Cody rolled his eyes when Zack stepped up to him crossing his arms over his chest. He really wasn't in the mood for some Dad-style scolding from his brother. "You stink." Is all he said.

"Hello to you too." Cody didn't look at him, just pressed his head against the wall.

"Gimme one." Zack leaned against the wall with him, putting the opposite foot up against it. "Don't," he started to object. "Your neurotic ass already has a pack rolled and in some fucking fancy cigarette holder." He heard Cody sigh and pull out said silver case. There were ten lined up on one side and a book of matches on the other. "Even goddamn matches?" Zack shook his head as he lit up a dart. "Thank you," he acknowledged with his lips around the thin paper before taking a large inhale.

Cody lit another one up letting the silence fall around them like a cone. They were in a part of the city where Zack wouldn't easily be recognized and they could allow themselves to just relax together in this little bubble.

"Bailey?" Zack finally asked, flicking the ash off the stick.

"Mmm, yep," Cody exhaled the smoke he had been holding in.

"Well, I won." They continued to smoke in silence watching as more and more patrons entered the restaurant. It really wasn't fair to let Jackson handle the baby girls alone, and it was selfish to think, but neither of the men really cared at the moment.

"Won what?" Cody asked lazily, knowing once their smokes were done they'd have to go inside.

"The pool. I had July Fourth, Jackson had Memorial Day, London had Labor Day, and then there were a bunch of random dates thrown in there. Woody thought you two would make it." Zack said optimistically. God, Cody hadn't thought of his roommate in a hot minute.

"Ah," It was best that he didn't concentrate on the fact that their friends had decided to make a wager on whether or not he was going to be amicable with his ex-girlfriend. "How is he?" Cody asked.

"Good! Owns a chain of dispensaries in Colorado." Because of course he did. Woody always knew where to score contraband. He even had decoy contraband for Kirby or Mosby to find. The first time the twins ever got high was on his stash. They were sprawled out on lounge chairs next to the swimming pool, giggling like fools, babbling like they did when they were babies.

Cody felt a clap on his shoulder and they stubbed out their respective cigs before making their way into the restaurant. "I'm sure Jackson knows," Zack rolled his eyes because his very observant husband could be a pain in the ass with what he saw and heard. "But I'm not going to confirm until we get home. Also, our phones would be blowing up if he had said anything to anyone. So, let's show a little gratitude, huh?"